Welcome to Lower Shaw Farm
Are you looking for a relaxing break; a stimulating weekend; fresh experiences; or the opportunity to learn a new skill?
It’s all possible at Lower Shaw Farm.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Lower Shaw Farm offers weekend breaks, events and courses for adults and for families:
- Yoga and Massage: March, May, July, October
- Creative Music
- Juggling and Circus Skills
- Crafts: knitting, spinning, textiles, jewellery, and lantern-making
- Willow Baskets
- Family Activity Breaks
- Cycling Weekend
- Wildflower and Botanical Drawing
- English Language Summer School
- Keeping Chickens
- Cookery School
- Women’s Creativity Weekend
- Voluntary Working Opportunities
- Weekly & monthly groups, clubs, and meetings
- Venue Hire
Lower Shaw Farm was once a dairy farm deep in rural North Wiltshire and home to seventy black and white cows. There are no cows now, but the farm has another life: as a three-acre oasis in an area of 1980s development. The farm has kept a character and atmosphere of its own.
At Lower Shaw Farm we like to work and play, make discoveries and make friends. We like organic and local food and enjoy good talk, or music-making and storytelling round the fire in the yard, by the woodstove, or in the Circle Garden.
Visitors come from all over the UK and from abroad, and the farm is also a valued resource for the local community. We reckon that today’s stranger is tomorrow’s friend and that life is for learning at Lower Shaw Farm!
The farm has organic gardens, many native trees, living willow structures, ponds, poultry, sheep, pigs, an outdoor cooking area with clay oven, and play areas for children and adults.
Although slightly ramshackle, Lower Shaw Farm’s outer appearance masks an inner sense of good order, warmth, welcome, and a wish to do things well!
In May, the annual Swindon Festival of Literature takes place, with the farm as its home base.
In 2009, Lower Shaw Farm won the Observer Ethical Garden Award. There are opportunities for volunteer work in the organic garden, and around the farm.
Yoga studio, meeting rooms, and accommodation are available for hire by groups and small conference organisers.
The outbuildings have been converted into meeting rooms, workshops, and simple accommodation. This includes chalets, caravans, and farmhouse rooms, which comprise single, double, and shared bedrooms.
Full vegetarian board is provided and we can cater for special diets.
The prices quoted for residential events include all meals, accommodation, and tuition.
Facilities are basic but homely and generally user-friendly for all people.
The farm is currently run by Andrea, Matt, Melissa, and Claire, who all live at the farm, helped by Josie the cook, Jake the juggler, and Gayle the masseuse, and a terrific network of other helpers, who come from near and far.
We hope that you too will find a reason to visit us, and look forward to welcoming you!
